Summer Saturday Sunrise

Saturday

Jul 26, 2014 at 12:30 PM

Yet another lovely peaceful summer Saturday sunrise. I wake up early, even on the weekends…must have something to do with that 5:00 am gym habit I have. May also have something to do with cats walking on me, with a special focus on abdomen and bladder, meowing in my ear, nibbling on my ear. Somehow it is not romantic to have a cat nibbling on ones ear at 5:30 am. Husbands, yes, but mine does not typically nibble on my ear. He is always still asleep at 5:30 am. The cats don’t walk on his bladder...they know who they can manipulate…and I freely admit it. I’m Carol, and my pets manipulate me. Ok, how did I get here? Back to my original topic!

Yes, another lovely peaceful summer Saturday sunrise. Quiet in my house, except for those pets of course. My whole day stretching in front of me, all mine to spend as I please. Well, at least some of it is mine, fit in around caring for pets, doing laundry, grocery shopping and all of those other regular chores we don’t get to during the work week. But still, that lovely, relaxed, happy summer Saturday sunrise peace. I let Blue out, and start feeding the cats while starting my coffee. It was cool, peaceful, relaxed.

Notice the change to past tense? I looked out the window. The gate to the backyard was open, meaning Blue was free to roam not just our back yard, but the entire neighborhood! My summer Saturday sunrise was no longer peaceful…we live on a main, heavily traveled road. I uttered a few quiet expletive deleteds, directed at the individual who left the gate open, which went unheard by any other human being, including said individual. The cats heard them. Not sure they got it. I dropped the feeding and ran for the dog, calling all hands at home to assist. Turns out Miss Blue heard the commotion, and not being one to miss anything that smacks of excitement, came running to the back door. It may also have been the fact that she saw Jack eating her food, intolerable for her. Thank you Cap’n Jack!

So dog in, everyone fed, summer Saturday sunrise peace restored, I look out the window again. No red car. Cathy did not come home last night. Immediate worrisome images dance through my brain. Where is she? No note. No text. No message. What was I saying about summer Saturday sunrise peace restored? I texted her. No response. I called her. She picked up, and I heard a groggy voice, “Hello?” She was at a friend’s house and had apparently cleared it with her sister late last night. Doesn’t help us when said sister still sleeps. Short conversation about letting people know if you are not coming home at night…any method, including text, voicemail, or even phone call acceptable. Not letting people (read, parents) know? Not acceptable. Does this same scenario regularly play out in households across the country with young adults home for the summer? Yes. It is kind of normal. Wow! My life is just normal right now! I love that!

So, my summer Saturday sunrise peace is restored, and my day still stretches in front of me, mine, all mine, to make of it what I wish.

Yet another lovely peaceful summer Saturday sunrise. I wake up early, even on the weekends…must have something to do with that 5:00 am gym habit I have. May also have something to do with cats walking on me, with a special focus on abdomen and bladder, meowing in my ear, nibbling on my ear. Somehow it is not romantic to have a cat nibbling on ones ear at 5:30 am. Husbands, yes, but mine does not typically nibble on my ear. He is always still asleep at 5:30 am. The cats don’t walk on his bladder...they know who they can manipulate…and I freely admit it. I’m Carol, and my pets manipulate me. Ok, how did I get here? Back to my original topic!
Yes, another lovely peaceful summer Saturday sunrise. Quiet in my house, except for those pets of course. My whole day stretching in front of me, all mine to spend as I please. Well, at least some of it is mine, fit in around caring for pets, doing laundry, grocery shopping and all of those other regular chores we don’t get to during the work week. But still, that lovely, relaxed, happy summer Saturday sunrise peace. I let Blue out, and start feeding the cats while starting my coffee. It was cool, peaceful, relaxed.
Notice the change to past tense? I looked out the window. The gate to the backyard was open, meaning Blue was free to roam not just our back yard, but the entire neighborhood! My summer Saturday sunrise was no longer peaceful…we live on a main, heavily traveled road. I uttered a few quiet expletive deleteds, directed at the individual who left the gate open, which went unheard by any other human being, including said individual. The cats heard them. Not sure they got it. I dropped the feeding and ran for the dog, calling all hands at home to assist. Turns out Miss Blue heard the commotion, and not being one to miss anything that smacks of excitement, came running to the back door. It may also have been the fact that she saw Jack eating her food, intolerable for her. Thank you Cap’n Jack!
So dog in, everyone fed, summer Saturday sunrise peace restored, I look out the window again. No red car. Cathy did not come home last night. Immediate worrisome images dance through my brain. Where is she? No note. No text. No message. What was I saying about summer Saturday sunrise peace restored? I texted her. No response. I called her. She picked up, and I heard a groggy voice, “Hello?” She was at a friend’s house and had apparently cleared it with her sister late last night. Doesn’t help us when said sister still sleeps. Short conversation about letting people know if you are not coming home at night…any method, including text, voicemail, or even phone call acceptable. Not letting people (read, parents) know? Not acceptable. Does this same scenario regularly play out in households across the country with young adults home for the summer? Yes. It is kind of normal. Wow! My life is just normal right now! I love that!
So, my summer Saturday sunrise peace is restored, and my day still stretches in front of me, mine, all mine, to make of it what I wish.